Telecommunications data may include speech/voice data that is analog or digitally encoded. This speech/voice data may be decoded to generate audio speech/voice signals. Telecommunications data may also include data/fax data that is analog or digitally encoded. This data/fax data may be decoded to yield data in a format that may be used by data processing equipment, computers, facsimile equipment, or other equipment. In general, speech/voice data and data/fax data that is digitally-encoded must be processed in different manners by telecommunications data processing system and components.
For example, speech/voice data that is compatible with the Global System for Mobile Communications standards must receive transcoder and rate adaption processing after it has been received from the base station transceiver before it may be transmitted over the public switched telephone network. In a similar manner, data/fax data must receive interworking function processing before it may be transmitted over the public switched telephone network. Transcoder and rate adaption processing is performed by different systems and components than interworking function processing.
Because different systems and components are used to perform transcoder and rate adaption processing and interworking function processing, it is necessary to switch and transmit telecommunications data to one set of components for the first type of processing and to a second set of components for the second type of processing. At least one set of these components may be external to the telecommunications switch, which results in additional transmission and switching delays. Furthermore, because system capacity is typically limited by the switch and not by the support equipment, additional systems and components are required for performing transcoder and rate adaption processing and interworking function processing than will typically be used at any given time.